Heartfelt appreciation for Marathon effort

Hemel Hempstead resident Joe Walsh was among 400 British Heart Foundation (BHF) Heart Runners who took to the streets of London for the Virgin Money London Marathon.

The event saw BHF Heart Runners join more than 39,000 runners to pound the capital’s pavements and raise funds for the charity’s heart research.

Joe, aged 27, completed the Marathon in three hours 25 minutes, after taking on the challenge in memory of his girlfriend Jen’s dad, who died of a heart attack.

Joe is hoping to raise about £1,000 for the BHF’s research.

Joe said: “Running the London Marathon was such an incredible experience.

“The atmosphere on the day was fantastic. Knowing that I was running for such a great cause, raising money for their vital research, really spurred me on to the finish line. Hopefully the money I raise will help make a difference to the millions of people in the UK living with heart and circulatory disease.”

The London Marathon has raised more than £500,000 for the BHF, which will go towards helping understand how to prevent, diagnose and treat heart and circulatory disease, which affects about seven million people in the UK.

BHF head of events Shonali Rodrigues said: “Without the dedication and commitment of people like Joe, we wouldn’t be able to fund research that has broken new ground, revolutionised treatments and transformed the lives of millions of people in the UK.”